Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa: Preliminary Autopsy Results
Preliminary autopsies on Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, revealed no signs of external trauma. The couple's bodies were examined by the Santa Fe, New Mexico medical investigator’s office on Thursday, February 27. They were found deceased one day prior at their home in Santa Fe.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office conducted examinations at the site. In their news release, which CNN and People obtained, the sheriff’s office stated that the causes of death remain undetermined. They confirmed that "this remains an open investigation." Official autopsy and toxicology reports are still awaited, along with testing for carbon monoxide.
Sheriff Adan Mendoza emphasized that there were "no apparent signs of foul play," but considered the circumstances unusual. An earlier statement said that foul play was not suspected. Us Weekly sought further comments from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department.
Earlier in the day, a Santa Fe detective described the situation as "suspicious" in an affidavit to secure a search warrant. The affidavit noted various findings at the scene, such as an unsecured front door, two healthy dogs on the property, and a deceased dog close to Arakawa. It detailed other observations, like an opened pill bottle next to her and two deceased individuals in different rooms, with no signs of a gas leak detected.
Gene Hackman, aged 95, and Betsy Arakawa, aged 64, were found alongside one of their dogs on Wednesday, February 26. The affidavit mentioned that Arakawa showed signs indicating she had been deceased for some time, such as "mummification" and "bloating."
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed their deaths in a statement to Us on Thursday. They stated, "Foul play is not suspected at this time. However, the exact cause of death is undetermined. This is an active and ongoing investigation."
Hackman's daughters and granddaughter shared their sorrow in a statement: "He was loved and admired by millions for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss."
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